Envision Yourself
How Does UMass Amherst Support Student Success?
At UMass Amherst, we know that student success extends far beyond the classroom and into the spaces where you live, work, eat, and have fun. It means fostering health and wellbeing, providing support and mentoring, and maintaining safe and beautiful spaces. It's all about community.
UMass can feel like a big place. It is a big place—there are nearly 1,450 acres and 111 undergraduate degree programs to explore. Luckily, almost 6,700 dedicated faculty and staff are here to teach you, guide you, nourish you, nurture you, help you sign up for classes, design your career goals, and more. Across campus, the services we provide and the spaces we maintain affect the day-to-day lives of all UMass students and are critical to their success. We know the needs of students are as diverse as their backgrounds, and we strive toward excellence in all facets of campus life in order to provide every student with a sense of belonging, safety, and well-being.
A Holistic Vision of Success
Academically, UMass Amherst is a place where you can prepare for a successful future. Our specialized schools and colleges offer the personalized experience of a smaller campus combined with the broad resources of a world-class research institution. Here, you’re encouraged to explore many disciplines and fields, nurturing your passions and interests and preparing you for a career in a world of change.
But helping you prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead doesn’t end in the classroom. As a Health Promoting University, we are informed by a holistic vision of success that integrates physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being. The success of our students is top priority and informs everything we do.
Where Will You Fit In at UMass?
Find out about the ways UMass Amherst faculty, staff, and fellow students strive to make our community one where you can find belonging, support, wellbeing, and success.
Taking a systems-level approach that considers the intersection of people (students, faculty, and staff), place (the campus community), and planet (the built environment and our natural resources), UMass Amherst joined international partners in signing the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges. The Okanagan Charter calls for colleges and universities to embed health into all aspects of campus culture.
Not only do our dining halls offer the comfort of newly renovated facilities, they're also serving up the best campus food in the nation, based on feedback from 165,000 college students collected by The Princeton Review. UMass Dining—the largest collegiate dining program in the US—is committed to providing locally sourced, healthy, sustainable, and globally inspired cuisine, upholding a belief in helping to build community through food.
Students have an invaluable perspective when it comes to their health and the health of their peers. At UMass Amherst, students are an integral part of our support network, finding community, helping others, and gaining valuable experience that will serve them on their journey at UMass and throughout their lives.
For decades, Registered Student Organizations (often better known as clubs, societies, councils, or associations) have shaped the culture, reputation, and history of UMass Amherst. From creative showcases to national competitions to local and global service projects, student organizations present an opportunity for students to express passion, reflect on experiences, and understand diverse voices and perspectives.
A collaborative initiative between the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of Equity and Inclusion, and many groups and departments across campus, the Community, Democracy, and Dialogue initiative helps our campus community navigate challenging, complex, and controversial subjects in ways that bring us together. Through grants, the initiative supports grassroots efforts by students, staff, and faculty to promote diverse discourse and open dialogue on critical global and domestic social issues.
Living among a community of students from many cultural backgrounds is an education in and of itself, one that provides you with new insights and perspectives. Residential Life programs meet the diverse needs of our on-campus population, ensuring the safety and security of all residents, providing educational and social opportunities, and working to promote an inclusive and respectful environment for all who live on campus.
The Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success supports student success and belonging for first-generation students, students of color, multiracial students, and low-income students. CMASS is here for you whether you are looking for social engagement, guidance in navigating the university, cultural connections, feedback on your plans, or to promote inclusion.